CHAPTER IV 



THE VERNAL GENTIAN 



"Divin etre d'azur au coeur pur qui scintille. 

 Vis tranquille et joyeux sur le riant coteau, 

 Car partout, fleur du ciel, ou ta couronne brille 

 EUe enfante la joie et luit comme un flambeau." 



Henry Corrkvon. 



Do you ask what the Alps would be without the 

 Edelweiss ? Ask, rather, what they would be 

 without the little Vernal Gentian ! Ask what 

 would be the slopes and fields of Alpine Switzer- 

 land without this flower of heaven-reflected blue, 

 rather than what the rocks and screes and un- 

 couth places would be without Leontopodium 

 alpinuvi of bloated and untruthful reputation. 

 Ask what Alpland's springtide welcome and 

 autumnal salutation would be if shorn of this 

 little plant's bright azure spontaneity ; ask where 

 would be spring's eager joyfulness, and where the 

 ready hopefulness of autumn. Ask yourself this, 



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